Let's Be Reasonable
by KipperMay
Summary: Dunno what the title means hahaha.....Okay..Gordo, Lizzie, and Miranda are 15 years old. Lizzie and Gordo are going out, and both of them are still best friends with Miranda. What could go wrong? Plenty. Gordo POV. R&R!!!
1. The Fight

"You know what? That's it. I'm outta here." I grabbed my jacket it and threw it on as I ran toward the door. As soon as I was out the door, I slowed down. The cold winter air hit my face and cooled the heat of my anger. That left room for the guilt that built up inside as I walked. I glanced back in the direction of Lizzie's house, but she wasn't following. I was almost disappointed; I had for some reason expected her to follow. I shrugged the feeling off with my jacket. It didn't matter that I was in just a t-shirt and jeans, I needed to fully cool off. And maybe forget what I had said to her. Despite how hot I had been before, though, I shivered as my jacket left my arms. I didn't even know where I was walking. The sun shined deceptively down on the bitterly cold day in December. Suddenly, as I was just about to turn and head home, I saw Miranda walking out of her house. I hadn't realized I had walked so far. She saw me and waved, jogging over to me as she pulled on her hat, then zipped up her coat. She smiled; her cheeks already pink from the cold.  
  
" Hey, Gordo, what's up?" She noticed me clutching my coat in one hand, and frowned. " Aren't you cold?" I shook my head, despite my shivering.  
  
" Not really. I need to cool off." Her frown remained.  
  
" What's wrong?" I shook my head, feeling a lump grow in my throat, blocking all chances of speech. " Come on, Gordo, you can tell me.can't you?" I nodded, then shook my head, then looked at the ground in despair.  
  
" I-no, it's nothing, I mean, I just got into a bit of an argument. No biggie." Still she frowned, but shrugged.  
  
" Okay.it's fine if you don't want to tell me. Hey, I was just on my way to Lizzie's house, do you wanna come?" I just stared at her. " Oh. *That's* what happened, huh?" I nodded, and finally pulled my coat on. I had lost all feeling in my arms. " What happened?" she continued. I shrugged.  
  
" We-we just disagreed. You might want to ask her, seeing as she's so smart and ALWAYS right." I instantly regretted saying that, especially since the look Miranda gave me told me she thought I SHOULD regret it. I looked at the ground again. " I-I'm sorry. Just a bit mad is all." I looked up, and her look had softened. " Will you ask her to call me later, if she's up to it?" She nodded, then threw her arms around me, kissing me lightly on the cheek with cold lips.  
  
" I'll see you later, okay?" I nodded, and she smiled and walked toward Lizzie's house. I went home. Nothing else I could do. Sat by my phone and waited for Lizzie to call. How pathetic.  
  
* * * 


	2. The Visit

She didn't call. I didn't call. Maybe Miranda forgot. The next day was Saturday, so I walked back over to Lizzie's at about 11: 30, and knocked on the door. Mrs. McGuire opened the door, and looked at me as if surprised to see me standing there. I cleared my throat uncomfortably.  
  
" I, uh-is Lizzie here?" She stared for another moment, then recovered herself and nodded, forcing a smile. " Yeah, Gordo, she's upstairs with Miranda."  
  
" Thanks." I pushed past her, hurrying up the stairs before she could protest. I'm still not sure why Lizzie's parents have grown less and less. *fond* of me in the past year. Maybe they liked me better when Lizzie and I were just friends. Well, that could be the case, if that, sooner than I hoped. I knocked on her bedroom door, praying silently that she didn't hate me. Why was I so attached to this girl? It's not like we have ANYTHING in common, or even that we're just compatible. Maybe it's the way she looks, which is a complete contradiction of anything I've ever said. The door swung open, revealing Miranda in the doorway, her hair up in pigtails and wearing pajamas and holding a bottle of blue-green nail polish in her hand. Lizzie sat on the floor, blowing her fingernails dry. She looked up, and scowled. Miranda smiled sympathetically, then walked further into the room, allowing Lizzie to walk over to the doorway. We stared at each other for a minute, and, just as I was gathering up the nerve to speak, she did.  
  
" I figured you weren't coming back. At least not so soon." I shrugged.  
  
" I-uh, I wanted to apologize, be-because, you know, I was.wrong." I cursed the stutter I had developed after seventh grade. She smiled slightly, nodding.  
  
" And how many times have we heard *that*.?" I shook my head, smiling back.  
  
" Sorry." She nodded, glancing back at Miranda.  
  
" You wanna come in?" I shook my head, then shrugged again.  
  
" Y-Yeah, sure." She held the door open further, and I walked in. Just as she shut the door, someone else knocked. I sat down on Lizzie's bed next to Miranda. Lizzie pulled open the door. Matt stood in the doorway, holding the phone out.  
  
" For you." She smiled.  
  
" Thanks." He shrugged and walked away. Lizzie checked the phone for honey, as had become her custom after a certain "incident", then put it to her ear. " Hello? Ethan! Hey!" My heart sank. I should've figured. As soon as I was out of the picture, it was Ethan City. Miranda gave me another sympathetic look, and, despite her being my best friend, I wanted to sock her. Sympathy was NOT what I needed, not now. I stood up, not trusting myself to speak. My stutter was worse if I was nervous, excited, or angry. I walked out of Lizzie's room, and out of her house. Just as I thought my life might be worth something, it had begun to coast downhill. Now it was gathering speed, and, if I wasn't careful, was doomed to crash and wreck horribly like that old soap box racer Mr. McGuire, Matt, and I had fixed up that one time.  
  
***  
  
Okay, well, that's it for Chapter Two.Reviews, please!!!!!! 


	3. The Confession

When I got home, my mom yelled at me for being out when I was supposed to shovel the driveway. I ignored her and went up to my room. I checked caller ID, and saw Lizzie's number on there about three times since I had left her house. I tried to pick up the phone, call her, but I couldn't bring myself to do it. I sat on the bed, staring at the phone in my hand, willing myself to dial her number. But I kept hearing how excited she'd been when Ethan called her earlier this morning. I think I had always known that she had never gotten over him, but I had put it out of my mind, concentrating on her affections for me RIGHT THEN, never thinking about the past or the future. How stupid. Finally, I picked up the phone again. But I didn't dial Lizzie's number.  
  
Luckily, Miranda had been home when I called her. She was hesitant, but agreed to let me come over for a while. She probably felt bad for me, or something.  
  
" Hey, Gordo. You okay?" I nodded, and she let me in. " So why did you want to come over?" I shrugged.  
  
" I-I just needed-t-to talk, I guess." GOD!! My stutter was driving me crazy, not to mention making me sound like an idiot. Why was I so nervous? We sat on the couch, drinking soda, and just.staring. Not talking. Finally, she cleared her throat, and set down her soda.  
  
" What did you want to talk about?" I shook my head.  
  
" I-I dunno." I looked up at her, and suddenly, her beauty struck me. Wow, I thought. What was I doing with Lizzie, when Miranda appreciated me so much more? Lizzie was embarrassed of my stutter, but Miranda understood and tried to help me out. I took a deep breath and sipped my pop, not making eye contact with her. I felt my face redden. She stood up.  
  
" You sure you're okay?" I nodded, but too quickly, because she sat down again and put her hand on my knee. My face burned. I kept my eyes fixed on my soda can.  
  
" Gordo, I can't read your mind. Tell me what's going on." Then, as an afterthought, I guess, she added, " I know you don't like talking a lot. But I need to know if I'm going to try and help you." I sighed.  
  
" Nothing.I just-f-feel different. I-I dunno why." LAME!!!!!!!!!!! Ugh, but what was I SUPPOSED to say? Uh, yeah, Miranda, the reason I'm freaking out is because I was shallowly attracted to your best friend, but suddenly I realize you're so much DEEPER than that!! No. She frowned, making me feel obligated to explain further. Her hand felt hot on my knee, and the blush spread to my ears. " I-I'm not sure how-how I feel about Lizzie anymore." The last few words shot out in a rush, and I immediately regretted them. Her hand recoiled from my knee.  
  
" Why?" I shook my head. I couldn't tell her. I couldn't show her how I felt. I mean, she's my girlfriend's BEST FRIEND, not to mention one of mine. But I had to. I looked up at her, finally. I think she knew what was coming, but she stayed patient while I stuttered my way through telling her how I felt.  
  
" M-Miranda. You're my best friend. I-I d-don't know how to say this, b- but." I was making a fool of myself. I should stop now, I thought. Stupidly, clumsily, I continued. " But, Miranda, I--" I took a deep breath, and spoke slowly so I could minimize the stutter. " Miranda, I-I think I might be.f-falling in love with you." I looked up at her. She stared, and suddenly I knew I had just completely screwed up. I even forgot to control my stutter as I tried to excuse myself. " I-I have t-t- to go! I'm s- sorry."I ran out. I even left my coat there. How could I have been so stupid. Well...now what? 


	4. The Breakup

There was nothing I could do. I sat in my room and cursed myself. Why had I been so incredibly STUPID? I mean, Lizzie had never really done anything to me that would justify what I had just done to her. And what I had done to Miranda, for that matter. I sat trying to think for almost two hours, wondering how I had let myself do what I did. The phone rang into the silence of my room, startling me from my thoughts. I glanced at caller ID. It was Lizzie. My heart pounded. I had to talk to her, tell her the truth if she didn't already know. But what if she did? What if she broke up with me, and then neither of them ever spoke to me again? I picked up the phone after the third ring, and cleared my throat nervously.  
  
"H-Hello?" There was silence for a moment, an awful, I-know-what-you- did-and-I-can't-stand-you-for-it silence. Finally I repeated myself. " Hello?"  
  
" Gordo. Hi, it's Lizzie." As if I didn't know.  
  
" Hey, Lizzie." She sighed.  
  
" I'm glad I got a hold of you. Miranda called me a little while ago." My heart jumped into my mouth, and I choked, coughing loudly into the phone. When I recovered, I took a deep breath.  
  
" R-Really."  
  
" You seem surprised." She had me there.  
  
" I-uh-well, you wouldn't have m-mentioned it unless it was important, r-r-right?" I prayed to God I was wrong. Maybe Miranda wouldn't tell. Maybe she hadn't.  
  
" She told me what happened at her house." She had. Well, there went everyone I cared about. In my mind's eye, I watched them soar out the window like a bird on a light breeze. Gone.  
  
" W-what did she tell you?" I heard her chuckle.  
  
" Everything. Your little.confession.and they way you were around her. Gordo, I haven't heard of you acting like that since...well, since you asked ME out." I cringed. Her words were harsh, and stung like a slap to the cheek. What could I say to that?  
  
" I'm sorry.I-I wasn't th-th-thinking. I just-f-felt so terrible; I don't know why I did it. I didn't mean it, I sw-swear." She was silent for a moment. Then,  
  
" Your stutter makes me sick. To me, Gordo, it's just another reminder of how pathetic you are. You can't even speak right! How am I supposed to be seen with someone like you? You don't even care what people think! God, you're so pathetic, such a horrible waste of existence it makes me sick. It always has. Why do you think I agreed to go out with you? Because I liked you too? Ha! It was because I felt SORRY for you, Gordo. And now, you think you're so high and mighty, like you can go and cheat on me and I wouldn't know, or that if I DID find out, one little poor p-p-pathetic, st-st-stuttering apology would make it okay? Well, here's a reality check for you. It doesn't. I'm through talking to you; in fact, I'm through with you completely. Go, go be with Miranda. Maybe SHE doesn't mind being seen with a complete loser, a complete freak. Look at yourself, Gordo. Look at what you've become. A nobody! Not a director, barely even a genius anymore. I used to admire you. Now I just want you to leave me alone." Click.  
  
So that was that. It could have gone better, I suppose, but it was over now. I couldn't even talk to Miranda anymore. Lizzie was right about everything. I had become a zero, a waste of space. My realization of that fact hurt more than hearing it from the one person I had really cared about in my life. If even *I* could tell that I was a loser, what hope was there for anyone else to think I wasn't? What did it even matter anymore?  
  
***  
  
Well, that's it for four. How do you like it so far? REVIEWS!!!!!! Thanks! 


	5. The Change

They didn't talk to me the next day. They wouldn't even look at me, but wouldn't leave each other's sides. I think I had always known it would come to this, but I never honestly expected it to happen, not so soon. After school, I saw them talking to Kate and Co. And, as much as I hated to admit it, that hurt. I wanted to talk to them, tell them to please forgive me. I was almost willing to beg them to help me try to make things normal again. But I couldn't. It was useless, besides, I still had *some* pride left, didn't I? They went with Kate's group to the Digital Bean. I followed, though I doubt they noticed. Once I got close enough, I heard them talking.  
  
" So if he was so embarrassing, why DID you go out with him?" Kate was asking. Ouch. Jeez. Lizzie shook her head.  
  
" I don't know. It was like.I felt sorry for him," she said. Claire leaned forward, interested.  
  
" Is that why you were friends with him, too?" Lizzie shook her head.  
  
" Nah. He was actually cool for most of our lives. I dunno what went wrong." She glanced at Miranda, who remained silent, and looked over at where I was sitting. I buried myself in my book, not daring to look up until I heard them change the subject. Then I quickly got up and stalked out of the Bean with my head high, marching right past their table. How immature.but they looked. I felt their eyes on me all the way until I was out of the café. Once outside, I realized that I had been holding my breath since I had stood up. I let it out with a whoosh. My face stung. I could have sworn someone had slapped me. I slumped onto a bench just outside the door, taking deep breaths. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw someone sit next to me, put a hand on my shoulder. I looked up and found Miranda smiling at me.  
  
" Hey. You okay?" I nodded, forcing a smile and sitting up straighter.  
  
" I-I thought you hated me." She sighed, and the smile faded.  
  
" I'm so sorry, Gordo. I was-I don't know, confused, I guess. And worried about you. I wasn't sure if you meant what you said to me." I stopped smiling too, and stared at my feet.  
  
" I did." It was the first time since I could remember that I had said anything without stuttering. She slipped her hand into mine, and I knew she returned the feeling. She didn't have to bother with words. She pulled me up, and led me by the hand to my house. She kissed me on the cheek and left. I stood on my porch staring after her even when she had turned the corner. I didn't go in until I realized my face and hands were completely numb, and that it had begun to snow.  
  
The next morning I woke up on the couch to the doorbell ringing. I stumbled to the door and pulled it open, still half asleep. Lizzie stood there, looking impatient and cold. I just raised an eyebrow at her, because her expression was unreadable besides the constant impatience.  
  
" Are you going to let me in or what?" she finally said, exasperated. I shrugged and pulled the door open further. She walked past me, taking off her coat as I shut the door. We stared at each other a moment. " What? Why aren't you saying anything?" I shrugged again.  
  
" I f-figured you'd rather do without my stutter, s-seeing as you hate it so much."I tried to keep my expression as blank as hers. She glared.  
  
" Look, I came here to apologize. I'm sorry for what I said, I didn't mean it, and.well, I was wondering if you'd consider taking me back." 


	6. The Conversations and Uncertainty

My mind was sent reeling. What was she talking about? I thought of what had happened with Miranda and me the day before. Did she know? I couldn't do anything more intelligent than stare at her open mouthed. Finally she groaned.  
  
" Hello, did you hear me? I want to go out with you again. I'm sorry!" When my surprise faded, suspicion grew. I narrowed my eyes.  
  
" Why the change of heart?" I spoke slowly, so I wouldn't stutter. She got the message, and faltered.  
  
" I--uh--you know, I figured I was wrong. I shouldn't have--have treated you that way, you know?" She took a step back as I stepped forward, leaning in close to her face.  
  
" I kn--know exactly." I leaned back. " P--please leave." She stared. It was her turn to be surprised. Finally, I walked past her to the door and pulled it open. She grabbed her coat and left.  
  
I went back to sleep. An hour or two later, Miranda called. " Gordo! How are ya?" I couldn't help but chuckle. If she only knew...  
  
" F--fine..." What else could I say? How could I even begin to explain to her the suspicion, hurt, and confusion that was beginning to well up? She was silent. Then,  
  
" Lizzie came over, didn't she?"  
  
" Yep."  
  
" She asked you to take her back, didn't she?"  
  
" Yep."  
  
" And...?"  
  
" W--well, I figured you'd t-t-told her what was going on between you and m--me, so I made her leave. B--but I'm wondering whether that was the right d--decision." Miranda gasped.  
  
" Gordo! Come ON! She was a total you-know-what to you! How could you even say that? You think I'm using you?" I sighed.  
  
" Not that it's unusual..." She sighed, too.  
  
" Fine. I can't change what you think, but hear this. Lizzie McGuire is using you, and if you agree to go out with her again, she will continue to use you. People aren't people to Lizzie. People are objects, in existence only for her well-being. Gordo, I'm not using, nor will I ever take advantage of you like that. I think it's terrible." I hung up. I know it was harsh, but I was confused. It happens...  
  
The next thing I knew, I was sitting on my roof in the snow, watching the occasional car drive by and letting the snow cover me in a thin white blanket. I contemplated just how far it was to the ground, and whether I would sustain permanent damage if I jumped off. It seemed like a good idea, especially if I got hurt. I mean, who can use a dead body, right? 


	7. What Is Going On??

For a brief moment, I soared through the air, the snowflakes whirling around me. It was really quite beautiful. For a brief moment, I was suspended, flying. I laughed at all the problems that had brought me to this point, jumping off my own roof in a desperate attempt to escape. They didn't matter anymore. But, suddenly, the feeling disappeared as the ground came rushing toward me. I tried clawing the air, like they always do on Loony Tunes, and somehow make it back to where they fell from, but it failed to be as effective as it is in the cartoons. The last thing I heard as I hit the ground was a sickening crack. Then everything went dark.  
  
I woke up to white ceiling. Something beeped quietly in the background, and the white ceiling filled my view. This must be heaven, I thought, wondering how I had made it to heaven. I slowly turned my head, and saw Miranda dozing in a chair next to the hospital bed. Hospital bed? I had survived, then. She woke suddenly with a start and stared at me until she realized I was awake. Then she jumped up, shouted with joy, and threw her arms around me.  
  
"Gordo, you idiot, I thought you weren't going to make it! The doctors said. . . " She pulled away from me, glaring, and looked as if she were going to hit me. " You complete idiot! How could you do that? I mean, if I hadn't decided to come over to talk to you, you would have DIED!! WHY would you jump off the roof?" I stared at her until the words registered in my brain. My body felt like it was in slow motion. Painful slow motion.  
  
" I--I dunno. Seemed like a g--good idea at the time..." I tried to smile. At her look, though, I quickly changed the subject. " So. . . what's the d--damage report?" She sighed.  
  
" You broke a few ribs, your leg, your wrist, pretty bad concussion. You're lucky to be alive, you know." I closed my eyes. My head throbbed.  
  
" I suppose." I felt her standing next to my bed for what seemed like the longest time, and finally heard her footsteps retreating and my hospital room door closing behind her.  
  
I think I fell asleep, because when I opened my eyes again, Lizzie was standing over me, her face a mask.  
  
My head really hurt, but I tried to sit up anyway. Lizzie looked at me, surprised.  
  
" How do you feel?" I shook my head to clear it.  
  
" N--not great. Why'd you come?" She frowned, as if it should have been obvious.  
  
" Gordo, I. . . it was my fault you jumped, wasn't it?" Tears welled up in her eyes. "I'm so sorry!" I pulled myself into a sitting position, and touched her gently on the arm.  
  
" It's n--not your fault. I--I'm not sure what happened." She sat on the bed next to me, wiping her face.  
  
" Really?" I nodded, and she smiled with relief. Then, before I realized what she was doing, she was kissing me, and I was kissing her back. Then I heard someone in the doorway and pulled away from Lizzie. Miranda stood watching us, holding a Styrofoam container full of soup. She stared at us for a moment, then dropped the soup, turned an ran away. Lizzie smirked, and I realized what was happening, what she was doing, that Miranda had been right all along. I pushed her away from me.  
  
" How--how could you d--do this?" 


	8. The Hospital

I fell back onto my hospital bed, exhausted. I could still smell the soup as it cooled in a puddle on the floor. After Miranda had left, Lizzie kept telling me that I didn't need Miranda, that if only we could be together, we wouldn't need a horrible person like her. And I kept thinking, " What did she ever do to you, except be the best best friend she could be?" But all I did was nod and act like I agreed. What could I say? Besides, I just didn't have the energy to argue with her. She kissed me on the forehead and walked out, leaving me feeling dirty and used and just terrible, and I remembered why I had jumped off my roof. To get away from Lizzie, not Miranda, not my problems (of which I had many, most as yet unmentioned), not anything but Lizzie. Her dishonesty, her manipulation of everything and everyone made me physically sick, and the nurse had to come in and sit with me with a bowl while I lost whatever I had eaten most recently.  
  
After a couple more hours of sleep, I woke up with a dull pounding in my forehead and the smell of the soup gone. I slowly sat up and, for the first time, inspected my room. I saw a phone across the room. I tried reaching for it, desperate to call Miranda, but I couldn't reach it. I prayed that she would come back. But Lizzie came back. I wanted to be sick again, but all I could do was stare as she sat on the bed next to me, smiling and talking sweetly to me about nothing and school. Finally, it felt like I was waking up. I glared at her.  
  
" L--Lizzie, have you ever once, in y--your entire life, st--stopped to consider another living human being?" Miranda's face as she saw Lizzie kissing me filled my mind. Now I really wanted to be sick. She looked at me, surprised. Or maybe just stupidly. I never really thought of Lizzie as stupid, but I realized that she was never very intelligent. Maybe I was just blinded by what I thought was love and had turned out to be lust.  
  
Comprehension finally creeped into Lizzie's gaze.  
  
" You've been talking to Miranda, haven't you? What did she tell you about me? Gordo, why would you listen to her?" I didn't need to think about that one.  
  
" B--because she--she hasn't hurt me, Lizzie. She w--was never embarrassed of m--me. And she never used me or l--lied to me." She stood up, and I motioned for her to leave. She didn't move, and I hit the nurse call button.  
  
" Gordo, listen to me." How could I not? But I didn't reply, anyway. " Gordo! Gordo, I care about you. Why do you think I would come back, if I didn't care about you?" She almost had a point, and I might have believed her, if I didn't know her better, and if I hadn't seen her expression of glee when she had seen Miranda so hurt. So I didn't answer, not until the nurse came in with another bowl. Then I whispered only one word to her.  
  
" Goodbye." I didn't even see her leave. I was too busy trying not to throw up until she was gone. The entire situation made me heave. I felt like I was going to die, a horrible, gruesome execution, and my last request was just to see Miranda one last time and tell her how much I loved her. 


	9. The Psychiatrist

As soon as I was out of the hospital, I was put right into another one, so to  
speak. My parents rushed me to the nearest psychiatrist that was available.   
When I got to her office, she asked my parents if they would mind leaving for  
a few hours. They agreed, albeit reluctantly, and left. I didn't want them  
to go. I didn't want this lady to ask me all kinds of personal stuff and then  
tell me that I was a complete quack and should be locked up in a padded room  
for the rest of my life. I sat in a plush armchair, while she took a hard  
stool. We stared at each other for a full five minutes before she finally  
cleared her throat and introduced herself.  
" My name is Cynthia Walsh. You can call me Cynthia or Dr. Walsh, whichever  
makes you feel more comfortable. Okay?" I just looked at her, trying to  
figure her out. What was she trying to get from me? I guess I hesitated too  
long, because she frowned. " Is something wrong?" I blinked, and shook my  
head. Best just to play along. Then maybe she wouldn't think I was crazy.  
" No, uh, s--sorry, I--I was just th--thinking. Um, I guess you c--can call  
me Gordo." I smiled. She smiled, too, looking relieved. I wondered how long  
she had been working with crazy and depressed kids. Not long, probably,  
considering how nervous she looked.   
"So, Gordo, is school going well, for you?" I nodded, then shrugged.  
" Well, it w--was . . . I mean, I've been out f--for awhile. At the  
hos--hospital." She nodded thoughtfully.   
" Speaking of the hospital. Did you get many visitors?" I shrugged.  
" Not r--really. I mean, I've n--never been the most popular p--person  
around." At her look, I quickly added, " but I h--had a couple. Close  
friends, you kn--know?" She nodded again. This went on, mind you, for hours,  
and I got impatient. " Um, look, Dr. W--Walsh . . . is th--there a point to  
this?" She raised her eyebrows.  
" Yes, Gordo, there is. Why did you jump off your roof?" I couldn't tell her  
that. She could ask me anything, just not that. I mean, how could I tell her  
one person had completely ruined my life. I couldn't. I stood up,  
apologizing and mixing up my words as I grabbed my jacket and left. My face  
burned as I stepped out into the sunlight and the cold. I looked aorund. It  
wasn't really that far to my house, so I decided to walk home. I couldn't go  
back into her office anyway.   
  
As I turned up my street, I saw someone sitting on my porch. I squinted, trying to figure out who it was.  
Were they waiting for my parents?   
I finally reached my house and hurried up the steps. Anything I was about to say completely died on my lips.   
Miranda sat on my porch swing, staring at her shoes, waiting . . . for me? She looked up as I stepped onto the porch. Tears glinted in her eyes.  
" M--Miranda, I--" She held up a hand, silencing me.  
"Gordo, look. I don't know what was going on with you and Lizzie before, but it's obvious you still care about her.  
I just wanted to say I was sorry for getting in the way of that." I shook my head, and grabbed her arm.  
" C--Can I finish?" She frowned, but nodded. " I--I'm glad you're here. Th--that night was a mistake.   
Miranda--you were r--right. She's n--not someone I want to be with." I took her hand. " I th--think I owe you an   
ap--apology. I should have noticed when y--you were there for me." She smiled, and we sat down together, Miranda   
letting her head rest on my shoulder. Finally, I thought. It's working out. But I should have known. Lizzie   
cleared her throat from the top step of my porch.  
****  
It just doesn't end, does it? One problem, though . . . I need some help finishing up!! Any ideas? R/R!!!!! 


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